Manufacture of hats.



l. J. TRACY. MANUFACTURE OF HATS. APPLICATION FILED APR.3, 913.

1,214,845. Patented Feb. 6, 1917.

m: owns PETERS cu. Fmmv-umo WASNINGIDN. u c.

JAMES J. TRACY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

MANUFACTURE or HATS.

Application filed April 3, 191-3.

110 all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JA ES J. TRACY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cleveland, county of Guyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Manufacture of Hats, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that. principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

in the manufacture of straw hats as heretofore carried on, the usual procedure is to sew the braid to the shape desired, whether consisting of the crown and the brim joined, or made separately; thereupon such hat shape is sponged with liquid glue or size and dried in a drying chamber, where a temperature of 100 F. or higher has to be maintained in order to effect the drying with sufficient expedition; from said drying chamber the hats or parts thereof are taken in a very much distorted condition, and steamed over open steam boxes to soften them; and then they are finally blocked by I being pressed over interiorly heated forms of the desired shape, being worked down by hand, and pressure blocks being applied to the outside, until they have set, it being un derstood that the form blocks are maintained at such a temperature as to dry the glue in the straw and thus cause the latter to retain the final desired shape.

The object of the present invention is to provide a method of procedure and apparatus for use in the same, whereby the foregoing operations in connection with the manufacture of straw hats may be very materially shortened and in part entirely eliminated, thereby materially quickening the process of manufacture and at the same time rendering the work pleasanter and easier for the operators. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends said invention, then, consists of the steps hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims. It should also be explained that the apparatus aspect of the invention forms the subject matter of a separate divisional application filed December 29. 1916, Serial No. 139,461.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detail certain means Specificationof Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 6, 1917.

Serial No. 758,564.

and one mode of carrying out the invention,

such disclosed means and mode illustrating,

however, but one of various ways in which the principle of the invention may be used.

in said annexed drawing Figure l is a side elevation and part sectional view of an apparatus adapted for the carrying on of my improved method of manufacture; Fig. 2 is a plan view of a portion of such apparatus; and Fig. 3 is a pen spective view of an element removed from the rest of the apparatus.

Describing first of all the apparatus utilized in carrying out my improved method of manufacture, such apparatus is relatively simple, consisting of a. table or workbench 1, that carries a series of apertured base-plates 2, upon which the hat molds 3, whether for the crown of the hat, as shown at the right of Fig. 1, or the brim ofthe hat, as shown at the left, or the whole hat, are designed to rest, such whole hat or part thereof being termed indifferently a hatpart in the present specification. These molds may be made out of plaster of Paris and the portion thereof designed to receive the hat part is provided with a number of closely arranged perforations. An annular sheet 4 of soft rubber, or like packing material, be interposed between each baseplate 2 and the mold resting thereon, if found necessary to form a tight seal be tween the two, such seal being desirable for reasons that will presently appear. Con nected with the central aperture in each base-plate is the flaring, or funnel-like, upper end 5 of a duct 6, the lower end of which is connected to a manifold or main duct 7 leading to a suction fan 8. The latter may be operated by a motor 9, as shown, or any other suitable driving mechanism.

Removably supported within the conical or funnel-like upper end 5 of each duct 6 is a cup 10 with flaring walls of the form shown in Fig. 3, having lugs or arms 11 ex tending laterally from its edge, so as to support the cup in the position shown at the left in Fig. 1, just below or in the opening in the base-plate 2. In such opening a ring 12 of beveled shape is preferably inserted, the inner edge of the ring forming a flange for the opening in the base, that extends within the edge of the cup. This ring may be supported either from the sheet of packing, where such is used, or directly from the base 2.

Below the cup, at a convenient point in each duct, is a valve 13 preferably of the familiar slide type, operable by a handle 14.

In utilizing the foregoingfapparatus in carrying out my improved method, the hatparts are taken just as they come from the sewers, and are fitted over the molds 3 in tended for their reception, the valves 13 in the corresponding ducts being closed. Thereupon, by opening any particular valve, a sufiicient suction is created within the corresponding mold to hold the hat-part firmly thereon, whether crown or brim, and while it is thus held snugly onto the mold, the glue, or sizing, is applied in liquid form with a sponge. Any excess of the glue that is drawn through the hat and through the mold is caught by the cup 10 in the throat of the duct,'the ring 12 below the mold serving to guide the particles of glue into said cup. The cup being removable may be taken out and emptied as occasion demands. It may also be desirable to locate a similar separator in the discharge duct 17 leading from the fan 8, in order to intercept any particles of glue that may be carried along with the draft of air past the cup 10.

The current of air, drawn through the hat resting on the mold after the application of the glue, very quickly dries the latter and obviously leaves the hat of exactly the desired form. There is no chance for the hatpart to buckle or warp, this being very apt to occur, particularly at the peak of the crown, when the hat is subjected to heating, as is necessary in the prevailing method of manufacture' Aside from this and other advantages pertaining to the betterment of the product, the simplification in manufacture permits a very considerable'increase in rate of production, one man doing as much as three men under the old conditions, while owing to the absence of all heating and steaming steps the comfort of the operator is much greater.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the steps herein disclosed, provided cop es f th s p ten may be Obtai s a those stated by any one of the following claims or their equivalents be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and disthrough; and holding such part, during such drying, against a mold .of the form desired.

3. The method of manufacturing hats of straw or like material, which consists in applying liquid or size to the hat-part; then drying the same by passing air therethrough; and holding such part, during such drying, against a mold of the shape desired by the same air used in drying.

l. In the manufacture of hats of straw or like material, the steps which consist in placing the hat-part with one side in contact with a mold of the form desired; applying liquid glue to such part while thusfin contact with such mold; and passing a current of air through such part and mold to hold the former in place against the latter and dry the glue thus applied.

5. In the manufacture of hats of straw or like material, the steps which consist in placing the ha tpart over a perforated mold of the form desired so as to have one side in contact with such mold; applying liquid glue to such part while thus in contact with such mold; and simultaneously drawing a current of air through such part and mold, whereby the formeris held in place against the latter, such current of a r being continued long enough to dry the glue thus applied.

Signed by me, this 31 1913.

ay of March,

JAMES J. TRACY.

Attested by Homer B. FAY, JNQ. 1T. Qrrmm v.

Washington, D. C. 

